Dear Japan, installing Windows 8 doesn’t make your PC touchscreen

Oh Japan, you beautiful crazy country. Media reports from the tech-obsessed Asian country suggest that people misunderstood what happens to your PC when you install Windows 8.

After Microsoft’s new operating system became available on October 26, many Japanese consumers installed it with the expectation their PC would suddenly have touchscreen capabilities. Of course, if your device doesn’t have touchscreen capabilities already, Windows 8 won’t magically bestow that functionality upon your display.

This misunderstanding might strike most of us as pretty funny, especially when you picture people wildly swiping at their computers. But the sad reality is that for many consumers who aren’t that knowledgeable about computer hardware and software, it really isn’t that surprising that some are confused about what they are getting with Windows 8, given that most of the focus these days is on the new touch features.

Microsoft is spending over a billion dollars to market the launch of its new operating system. And while I think the vast majority of users will be just fine with OS, I do hope the folks in Redmond set aside some cash for support calls too.

Given that Microsoft has already sold four-million copies of Windows 8, you’ve got to wonder what percentage those thought Windows 8 was going to magically make their devices touchscreen.

This article by Rick Martin originally appeared on Tech in Asia and is republished with permission.